Banners to fly in Capac with faces, names of their service members
ST. CLAIR COUNTY — The Blue Water Area Fallen Heroes Community Banner Program hopes the public can help them honor veterans, including several from the Capac area, who died in service to their country. The banner program, a signature project of the St. Clair County Department of Veterans Affairs, is looking to create banners to display on light poles that will memorialize St. Clair County men and women who died in service to their country dating back to World War I. They hope to have the banners ready for display in 2021.
“It is our way to honor our community’s military heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice to their country and promote civic pride across the community,” said program advisor Nancy Deising.
“The banners would be placed in the cities, villages or townships where the service member lived. The banners will be displayed yearly for one week prior to and one week after Memorial Day.”
The program hopes to collect photographs of more than 550 fallen heroes from St. Clair County. There are still eight Capac-area veterans that the banner program seek information and photos for. All of the following served in the United States Army.
World War I
•Robert Bannister of Capac who died in 1918 while serving in France
•William E. Flynn of Capac who died in 1918 while serving in France
•Lemuel A. Walker of Berlin Twp. who died in 1918 while serving in France
World War II
•Myron C. Edgerton of Allenton who died in 1944 while serving in Italy
•Richard C. Gregory of Allenton who died in 1945 while serving in North Africa
•Joseph S. Horvath of Capac who died in 1944 while serving in France
•Michael J. Krisan of Allenton who died in 1945 during the Battle of the Bulge
•Carl J. Rahl of Allenton who died in 1945 while serving in Czechoslovakia
Anyone who is related to any of the men listed above or may have a photo of the veterans is asked to call the Veteran Affairs 24/7 Hotline at 810-985-2007.
The concept for the banner program comes from Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, that began displaying light pole banners some time ago that feature fallen or missing in action service members in the weeks surrounding Memorial Day. The Blue Water Area Fallen Heroes Community Banner Program has tailored their project to honor service members who were graduates or former students of
a school district in St.
Clair County; a prior resident or property owner or
a native of St. Clair County.
Family members are asked to provide original or good condition images of the veteran’s senior high school photo or those of the veteran in their military uniform. Images can be scanned and returned to the family.
“If no photograph can be provided, the Department of Defense Military Service Seal will be used,” Deising said.
Donations can also be directed to the banner program through the Community Foundation of St. Clair County. To give online visit,http://www.stclairfoundation.org/funds/more/blue_water_fallen_heroes_community_banner_program_fundor checks can be sent directly to the foundation at Community Foundation of St. Clair County, 500 Water Street, Port Huron, MI 48060 with Banner Program Fund noted on the memo line.
